In a fierce swirl of jealousy and betrayal that left patrons of Bonanza Casino in Reno, Nevada, shaken, a man recently received a forty-one-year prison term for attempting to murder his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend. The incident harkens back to the festive celebrations of Independence Day last year, transforming a night of possibilities into a nightmare reality.
The accused, a 37-year-old man named Joshua Slater-King, was handed the judgment by District Court Judge Egan Walker. The conviction, however, comes with a caveat – Slater-King may walk free in just twelve years, granted he toes the line and earns parole.
Slater-King had previously entered a plea of guilty for the litany of charges including attempted murder, assault, and burglary, all facilitated with the use of a firearm. Furthermore, the suspect was indicted for discharging a firearm within the confines of a structure.
On the night of the incident, Slater-King, driven by a caustic blend of jealousy and rage, approached his former flame and her new partner, who were innocently seated in the dimly-lit casino bar. From his pocket, he withdrew a firearm and began to wrenchingly pistol-whip the man, events quickly spinning out of control as the attack caused the gun to discharge loud echoes of terror.
However, it did not end there as Slater-King tried to fire further rounds at the bewildered man. A stroke of luck appeared when the firearm jammed but was quickly erased as Slater-King successfully cleared it, successfully firing a round that hit his victim in the leg, as was relayed in a statement by Washoe County District Attorney, Christopher J. Hicks. Fleeing the chaotic scene, Slater-King was last seen darting out of the casino around 1:30 a.m.
Post the violent confrontation, Reno Police Department officers descended upon the casino with swift urgency. Relying on the keen, all-seeing eyes of the surveillance cameras, they pieced together the identity of their suspect. Later that Independence Day, Slater-King was apprehended on Parr Boulevard. Upon being detained, Slater-King was heard murmuring the line, “I let my emotions get the best of me.”
The victim, while unnamed in official records, was rushed to a local hospital and thankfully, his injuries were deemed non-life-threatening. Neither Slater-King nor his former girlfriend sustained injuries in this harrowing incident.
Aggravating the need for a longer sentence, Washoe County Deputy District Attorney Hunter Heidrich cited the incident as causing physical and emotional pain to the victim, while stoking fear and unrest among those who were present in the popular local casino that night.
The Bonanza Casino, known for attracting locals, was bustling that fateful night. The establishment, which boasts slot machines, poker machines, video keno and a William Hill sportsbook, witnessed horror and brutality interrupt its usually lively ambiance.
